Caring for Toddler When Ill

Updated: August 11, 2014

If you're confused about coughs, rest assured you don't need a medical degree to get a sense of what's ailing your child. All you need is a little help figuring out how to decode and treat toddler coughs.

Your toddler’s tucked in bed, and you’re settling in on the couch for a night of sitcoms and snuggling. Then, from out of nowhere, your child’s soft, sleepy purrs suddenly turn into loud, raucous coughs. Startled into action, you drop the remote and rush to her side to see what’s wrong. But as you comfort her, you wonder: Does my coughing cutie have a mild cold or is something more serious going on? Wonder no further. Decode your toddler’s cough with this handy guide:

The mucus-filled cough

A phlegmy cough, that sounds as if mucus is rattling in her throat. Your child may also have a runny nose, sneezing, and a mild fever.

The likely cause:

A cold. In some kids, the cough may be the first sign of the cold, and in other kids, the runny nose or sneezing may come on first. Beyond the usual cuddles, soothing words, and all-around TLC, try these tactics to make her feel better:

Give your child lots of liquids such as water or juice. Warm decaffeinated tea may also help ease the tickle that sets off the cough. But if your child refuses to drink, cool Popsicles may tempt her — and they can also soothe a sore throat.

Run a cool-mist humidifier in her room at night (a warm humidifier may pose a danger in your child’s room if she gets too close to it). This will fill the air with moisture, which will soothe an inflamed, scratchy throat, and it will loosen up the mucus and ease congestion.

Try using nasal drops and a bulb syringe to clear out mucus in the nose.

Offer a spoonful of honey before bed; it will coat her throat and alleviate soreness. (Only give honey to kids older than one. In babies younger than one, honey can cause botulism, a life-threatening illness.)

Don’t give your toddler cough or cold medicines. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) don’t recommend them for young kids. They aren’t effective, and what’s worse, they can put your toddler at risk for dangerous side effects.

The barking cough

A barking sound accompanied by a high-pitched squeak when inhaling. Other symptoms include fever, hoarseness, and difficulty swallowing or breathing.

The likely cause:

Croup, a viral illness that occurs when the voice box and windpipe become inflamed, causing the airways to swell. To relieve this toddler cough:

Take your child into the bathroom, get a hot shower running, and close the door. Then stay in the steamy bathroom for 15 to 20 minutes. The warm moist air should ease the inflammation in the airways. Or try cool moist air by taking her outside into the cool night, or by opening the freezer and having her breathe in for several minutes.

Once your exhausted tot stops coughing, keep a cool-mist air humidifier in her room for the next few nights (croup generally lasts three to seven days).

If at any point your child has a high fever, struggles to breathe, or develops a bluish hue around her mouth, get medical help right away.

The wheezy cough

A phlegmy cough accompanied by high-pitched whistling or wheezing sounds when your toddler breathes. Your child may also vomit, have a fever, exhibit shallow or rapid breathing, and she may be lethargic.

The likely cause:

Bronchiolitis, an infection that results in swelling and inflammation in the tiny airways (bronchioles) that lead to the lungs. What starts out resembling a cold — fever, runny nose, and cough — turns into more severe problems, such as difficulty breathing and a rapid heartbeat — and in some cases (though not most), this can require hospitalization. The most common cause of bronchiolitis is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), but other viruses, such as the common cold and the flu, can also cause bronchiolitis. Though RSV and bronchiolitis tend to be more dangerous in infants, it can be serious in toddlers too. To nip this wheezy toddler cough in the bud before it gets out of hand:

Offer your child lots of liquids, such as water, juice, or warm decaf tea to soothe her throat and prevent dehydration.

Run a cool-mist humidifier in her room at night to fill the air with moisture. This will help relieve the swelling in the bronchioles, and it will loosen mucus in the airway to ease the cough and congestion.

Try using nasal drops and a bulb syringe to clear out mucus in the nose.

If your child also has a high fever, labored breathing, blue lips or fingernails, or shows signs of dehydration (cracked lips, sunken eyes, tearless crying, and a decrease in urination), get her to a doctor quickly.

The continuous cough

A cough that won’t quit, night after night, along with wheezing — but no cold symptoms.

The likely cause:

Asthma, a chronic lung condition in which airways swell, spasm, and become clogged with mucus. What to do:

Bring your toddler to the doctor to be evaluated for asthma. It’s important to get a proper diagnosis and treatment (she may need inhalant medications).

In addition to the medications the doctor may prescribe, help ease symptoms by offering your child liquids and by running a cool-mist humidifier in her room at night.

The labored-breathing cough

A phlegmy cough along with labored breathing, a high fever, aches, chest pain, vomiting, chills, and/or sometimes a blue color around the lips.

The likely cause:

Pneumonia, an infection that causes lung tissue to become inflamed and filled with pus. It usually comes on the heels of a viral or bacterial infection. To treat it:

Help your child to feel better by offering her liquids (to avoid dehydration), and running a cold-mist humidifier in her room.

The cough with a whoop

Dry coughing attacks — multiple coughs in a row — along with a high-pitched whoop sound when your child inhales.

The likely cause:

Whooping cough, a bacterial infection also known as pertussis. Though outbreaks of whooping cough have been on the rise in recent years, your toddler is only at risk if she didn’t get the DTaP vaccine (the P stands for pertussis). To treat the cough:

See your pediatrician — your child needs antibiotics.

To help your toddler feel better, encourage her to drink as much as she can (to avoid dehydration), and run a cool-mist humidifier in her room to soothe her breathing passages.